The Home Office now says that these nine were found shortly before 5am today.

A spokesman said later this morning: "The Border Force coastal patrol vessel, Hunter, along with the RNLI and HM Coastguard, intercepted an RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) in the Channel off the Kent Coast. CPV (coastal patrol vessel) Hunter escorted the RHIB with nine people on board to Dover’s Western Docks where they were met by Border Force and immigration officials.

“The nine, consisting of seven men, a woman and a child have presented themselves as Iranian nationals and are now being assessed by paramedics."

Kent Online is waiting for confirmation of the child's age.

Charlie Elphicke MP. Picture from the office of Charlie Elphicke.

Dover MP Charlie Elphicke said: “These attempts to break into Britain are coming thick and fast and becoming more shocking by the day.

“That people would take the risk of crossing the Channel on a small open boat with a child on board shows just how desperate they are.

“It underlines yet again why we need to increase the number of vessels patrolling our border. Having just two cutters is simply not enough of a deterrent.